The Girl Who Rowed the Ocean

Written by Alastair Humphreys

I got completely absorbed in this middle-grade adventure. At the outset, readers meet Lucy who is arguing with her brother Tom. Readers feel at home in an average American family. When Lucy’s teacher introduces the topic of oceans, Lucy decides she is all-in on pursuing an adventure to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a boat without engines or sails.

Her determination and persistence convince her family, friends, and teacher to support Lucy in her adventure. She solicits sponsors, learns about navigation, secures supplies, accesses communication equipment, and prepares for the big day.

Readers share the elation of stars, sunsets, and serenity of the seas. They also experience its dangers at every turn. For forty-five days, they read her diary and the writings of her classmates at home.

I love the lessons of sea-faring knowledge, and the strong character displayed by the protagonist. This book is a page-turner and an enjoyable read for the target audience of ages seven through twelve, but I promise a rewardable experience for any age reader.

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Today, I have a special treat for my readers, an interview with Carole P. Roman, award winning children’s book author featuring her new release If You Were Me and Lived On…Mars as part of The Children’s Book Review Blog Tour.

1. Why do you choose to write children’s books? I think they chose me. My son’s dared me to write a book. When I couldn’t think of anything but a game I played with my oldest grandson, Captain No Beard was created and the books started taking off. I also wanted to explain about the concept of cultures and customs around the world and so began the If You Were Me series… . It was a natural to start doing the histories. I have a nursery series that I wrote for my grandchildren. Actually, all the books were written for each of my own diverse group. We are big stargazers and this summer spent a lot of time watching Mars make its way across the sky—so I wrote about what it might be like to live there.

2. What do you like best about being a children’s book author? Hearing how much the kids enjoyed the books. Knowing they are reading with their parents, bringing them closer. Hearing that I made something easy for them to understand or how to deal with a problem.

3. What is the most difficult part for you personally in the writing process? Editing. I never see the errors and have had some costly do overs.

4. What is your personal favorite from all the books you have written and why? No favorites! I love them each like they are my babies.

5. You have written books about countries around the world and some of the great past civilization periods. Why did you decide to change course and write about a planet in outer space to which no human has ventured? It seemed sensible. We love learning about space in our household. We have telescopes and we look for meteor showers, comets, and planets. When we travel, we compare the night sky. It’s only a matter of time before one of the young readers in my family makes my book a reality.

6. Will you be writing more books about places that have not yet been explored? Every book for me is exploration. I haven’t been to half the countries I write about and certainly I’ve never time traveled. It’s all about exploration, discovery, and learning to me.

7. What exciting plan for the future are you willing to share with us? I’ve just published a book about Ancient Mali. It was fascinating. The Ancient Mayan Empire is next. Finished Germany and Cuba in the cultural series, and I’d like to do a chapter book. Maybe I’ll explore a desert island…

Thank you so much Carole for stopping by to chat today.

Enter To Win An Autographed Copy Of If You Were Me And Lived On … Mars, By Award-Winning Author Carole P. Roman, And A Stomp Rocket: Ultra LED To Light Up The Night Sky.

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

A copy of If You Were Me and Lived On … Mars, autographed by Carole P. Roman
A Stomp Rocket: Ultra LED set

A bonus autographed picture book selected from one of the 35+ books written by Carole P. Roman

Four (4) winners receive:

A copy of If You Were Me and Lived On … Mars, autographed by Carole P. Roman

A bonus autographed picture book selected from one of the 35+ books written by Carole P. Roman

Age Range: 4-8

Giveaway begins February 7, 2017, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends March 7, 2017, at 11:59 P.M. PST.
Giveaway open to US and Canadian addresses only.
Prizes and samples provided by Carole P. Roman and The Children’s Book Review.
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I would like to wish all my friends and followers a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Feliz Año Nuevo

Frohes neues Jahr

Bonne année

un felice anno nuovo

I could go on and on, but my wish is sincere in any language.

During this past year, I have shared and reviewed more than 100 books with you, and I hope that you have enjoyed exploring them with me. My Little Miss HISTORY Travels to….series  added two new adventures one to Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and a trip back in time to Ellis Island, the pathway to a new world and life of opportunity. To find out more about these books and where to purchase, please visit http://Littlemisshistory.com

Looking ahead to next year, Little Miss will guide us through the home of George Washington at Mount Vernon, revealing a different side of America’s first president.

She is carefully laying out plans to travel way back in time and land in a place where few humans have set foot. That’s about all I can say right now, but I do want to make sure that parents, teachers and students are aware of some tremendous opportunities available through 2016……..

2016 is the Centennial of the National Park Service. National Park System comprises 401 areas called “units” covering more than 84 million acres. These units include national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails, and the White House.

Find Your Park is about more than just national parks! It’s about the National Park Service working in your community through education programs, community assistance projects, and more. It’s about state parks, local parks, trails, museums, historic sites, and the many ways that the American public can connect with history and culture, enjoy nature, and make new discoveries.

Join in the action. Visit FindYourPark.com to sample upcoming centennial events near you, share your stories, and find your park! Participate in Find Your Park Experiences to learn, discover, be inspired, or simply have fun in national parks.

To help engage and create our next generation of park visitors, supporters and advocates, the White House, in partnership with the Federal Land Management agencies, launched the Every Kid in a Park initiative. The immediate goal is to provide an opportunity for each and every 4th grade student across the country to experience their federal public lands and waters in person throughout the 2015-2016 school year.

Beginning September 1st all kids in the fourth grade have access to their own Every Kid in a Park pass at www.everykidinapark.gov. This pass provides free access to national parks, national forests, national wildlife refuges, and more!

The Every Kid in a Park pass is good for the 2015-2016 school year, until August 31, 2016. Information on obtaining the pass is available by visiting www.everykidinapark.gov.

PLEASE JOIN WITH ME BY READING AND EXPLORING in 2016!

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